{"id":16372,"date":"2025-10-07T19:57:05","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T19:57:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/podorozh.org\/?p=16372"},"modified":"2026-01-06T13:59:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:59:45","slug":"don-39-t-do-that-because-it-39-s-not-worth-practicing-church-discipline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/podorozh.org\/en\/don-39-t-do-that-because-it-39-s-not-worth-practicing-church-discipline\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00abDon\u2019t do that!\u00bb Why you shouldn\u2019t practice church discipline"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00abDon\u2019t do that.\u00bb That\u2019s the first thing I tell pastors when they learn that church discipline is described in the Bible. I say, \u00abDon\u2019t do that, at least not yet.\u00bb Why that advice?<\/p>\n

Consider what happens when someone first discovers church discipline. Usually, pastors, when they first hear about it, find the idea absurd. It seems uncharitable, unevangelical, strange, rigid, legalistic, and judgmental. It also seems completely unrealistic to implement. Some even wonder if it is legal.<\/p>\n

They open their Bibles<\/h2>\n

But then, when no one is around, pastors turn to their Bibles. They come across passages like 2 Thessalonians 3:6, Galatians 6:1, or the classic text on church discipline, 1 Corinthians 5. They consider the Old Testament context of excommunication and remember that God always intended His people to be a reflection of His holiness (Deut. 17:7; Lev. 19:2; Isa. 52:11; 1 Pet. 1:16).<\/p>\n

Later, pastors turn to Jesus\u2019 own words and discover that in the same chapter where Christ condemns wrong judgment (Matt. 7:1), He also warns His disciples to beware of false prophets and those who claim to believe in Him but do not practice His words (Matt. 7:15-20; 21-23). Finally, they read Matthew 18, where Jesus gives instructions to disfellowship an unrepentant sinner under certain circumstances (Matt. 18:17). Perhaps churches really should practice discipline?<\/p>\n

What ultimately pushes these normally sweet, level-headed, and popular pastors to make radical changes is what they learn: Some churches do practice church discipline. And these aren\u2019t just weird or troubled churches, but joyful, growing, large, grace-centered churches like Grace Community in Sun Valley, California; Tenth Presbyterian in Philadelphia; First Baptist in Durham, North Carolina; or The Village Church near Dallas.<\/p>\n

Now these pastors are at a dead end. They understand that they must be obedient to God's word. They are inspired by the biblical image of a holy, loving, united church\u2014a church that reflects a holy, loving, one God. They realize that neglecting discipline is damaging to their church and its witness to the world.<\/p>\n

At this point, many have a grim determination: \u00abI will lead this church to biblical living, even if it is the last thing I do!\u00bb And, unfortunately, that is often what happens.<\/p>\n

Like thunder in a clear sky<\/h2>\n

Into the peaceful, well-intentioned life of an innocent, Bible-believing church comes a bolt of church discipline! It may be during a sermon. Or in a conversation between a pastor and a deacon. Or even through a hastily made motion at a church meeting. But sooner or later it happens\u2014usually with great seriousness and a barrage of Bible references.<\/p>\n

Then a sincere decision is made. And then comes the response: misunderstandings, hurt feelings, retaliatory accusations. Sin becomes a battlefield\u2014attacked and defended at the same time. Insults are hurled. Tensions mount. The symphony of church unity turns into a cacophony of arguments and accusations. People exclaim, \u00abWhen will this stop?!\u00bb, \u00abWhat, do you think you\u2019re perfect?!\u00bb<\/p>\n

Church Discipline: Don't Do This! At Least for Now<\/h2>\n

What should a pastor do? My advice is, \u00abDon\u2019t let yourself get into this situation from the start. If you have come to understand that corrective church discipline is biblical, then put it aside for a while.\u00bb (Church discipline has two aspects: corrective and formative. The formative aspect refers to the ministry of the church that teaches and edifies Christians.)<\/p>\n

At this point, you may be thinking, \u00abMark, are you advising us to disobey the Bible?!\u00bb<\/p>\n

No, not really. I am trying to help you do what Jesus told His disciples (see Luke 14:25-33): think about the cost before you begin. Make sure your church understands and accepts this biblical teaching sufficiently. Your goal should not be an instant fulfillment that will cause an emotional outburst, but a gradual reformation of the church through the Word of God. You want the church to move in the right direction. And that requires patient pastoral guidance.<\/p>\n

How to Lead a Church to Understand Discipline<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Encourage humility. Help people see that they may be mistaken about their own spiritual condition. Consider the example of the man in 1 Corinthians 5, as well as Paul\u2019s appeal to the Corinthian Christians more broadly in 2 Corinthians 13:5. Paul encourages us to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. Do the members of your church realize that they should help one another in this?<\/li>\n
  2. Make sure your congregation has a biblical understanding of church membership. People don\u2019t understand discipline because they don\u2019t understand membership. Membership is a relationship in the church. It is not created, maintained, or terminated by the actions of an individual; a person cannot join a church unilaterally without the consent of the entire church. Likewise, a person cannot continue to be a member of or leave a particular local church without the express or implied consent of the church (except for death). It\u2019s a difficult thing to say, but I want to say that it is the church\u2019s business to decide who is its member. And members cannot simply leave when they are in unrepentant sin. (See Jonathan Lyman\u2019s article, \u00abIs Early Termination of Membership a Ticket to Get Out?\u00bb for a fuller discussion of this issue.) This view of membership, however, must first be properly presented. Familiarize your church members with what the Bible teaches about local church membership. Make sure you know key points and passages that you can remind members of when questions arise. Look for opportunities in your sermons to teach about the difference between the church and the world and how this difference is important to the nature and mission of the church. Help your people build a picture of God\u2019s plan for His church that a lack of discipline will be an obvious gap in your church practice. Remember that members need to understand membership and discipline because they are the ones who must follow it.<\/li>\n
  3. Pray that God will help you serve as an example to other Christians in your church through public teaching and private work with families and individuals. Work to create a \u00abculture of discipleship\u00bb and accountability in your church, where Christians understand that a central part of their following Jesus is helping others follow Him (both through evangelism and through teaching other Christians). Help them understand the special responsibility they have to other members of their local church. Teach them that the Christian life is personal, but not private.<\/li>\n
  4. Prepare a written constitution and membership agreement for your church. It is advisable to obtain general legal advice. Begin holding membership training classes that clearly outline issues related to membership and discipline.<\/li>\n
  5. Finally, in your pulpit ministry, never tire of teaching who a Christian is. Regularly define the gospel and conversion. Clearly teach that the church is to be made up of repentant sinners who trust in Christ alone and who make a convincing confession of that trust. Pray that you will be focused on the gospel. Resolve that with God\u2019s help you will slowly but surely lead your church into change. Pray that your church will not be a place where it is strange to ask people about their spiritual life, but one where it is strange if no one asks about your spiritual life or answers when asked.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You know you're ready when...<\/h2>\n

    Your church is ready to practice church discipline when:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Your ministers understand it, agree with it, and realize its importance. (Wise leadership shared among several ministers is most scriptural and very helpful in guiding the church through potentially tense discussions.)<\/li>\n
    • Your church is united in understanding that such discipline is biblical.<\/li>\n
    • Your church is made up mostly of people who regularly listen to your sermons.<\/li>\n
    • This is especially true if your church members unanimously agree that excommunication is the right decision. (For example, excommunication for adultery is more likely to be agreed upon by church members than excommunication for persistent non-attendance.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      So, pastor friend, even if you once thought the idea of church discipline was absurd, I pray that God will help you lead your church to understand that discipline is a loving, rebukeable, appealing, distinctive, respectful, and gracious act of obedience and mercy. It helps build a church that glorifies God.<\/p>\n

      But remember: when you first become convinced of the biblical basis for church discipline, your first step in an already established local church will probably be to not practice it at first, until it becomes possible.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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